


Pull me from the Void (formally known as Ashes)

by mdkeller99



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: Brotherly Love, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Romance, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn, dark themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-04-27 11:17:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14424267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mdkeller99/pseuds/mdkeller99
Summary: Kuai Liang has come to accept that his brother was no longer in his life. He used to believe that he was out there....somewhere... Although after years of searching and coming up empty handed, he has given up. That is until Hanzo Hasashi comes knocking at his door claiming he had a gem filled with his brother's soul.TW: This story deals with dark themes including : Depression, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Abuse, among others. You have been warned





	Pull me from the Void (formally known as Ashes)

“We found your brother.”

The simple sentence thew Kuai’s world upside down in an instant. Several emotions ran through him before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, he fixed Johnny with a vacant expression.

“If this is one of your jokes, I assure you that it is neither funny nor appropriate.”

The look on Johnny’s face was unreadable. Kuai turned his back to him and focused again on making tea for both of them. It wasn’t unusual for Johnny to come visit him at the temple, usually it was to fill him in on how Cassie’s group’s training exercises were doing, and recommendations on what training regiments they should try in the future. This meeting wasn’t anything like that, however. They had that meeting just a couple days ago. Kuai sighed, staring into the cup of Chrysanthemum tea. His eyes tracking the little yellow flowers as they softly swirled around the pale liquid. Chrysanthemums always reminded him of his brother.

Johnny shifted his weight back onto his hands from his seat at the low table. He looked around Kuai’s room, thinking of something to say. There were papers and files cleanly stacked on the desk pushed onto the wall near the giant bay window. To the right of it were a number of floor to ceiling bookshelves jam packed full of any kind of book you could think of. Johnny wondered if there was any book that easily depicted what to say when someone’s big brother was capable of being raised from the dead.

He was entertaining the thought of actually standing up and checking when Kuai placed a cup of tea in front of him and sat down across from him at the table. His expression was the same neutral one he wore every day, but Johnny knew him well enough now to see a hint of sadness in his pale blue eyes.

“Look, I know you think your brother is out there somewhere, and now you have some sort of proof to back that up. Shouldn’t that made you happy?”

“Where is said proof?”

“Hanzo has it.”

That peaked Kuai’s interest. He cocked his eyebrow, a signal for Johnny to continue talking, “It is not much, just a simple rock that he says has half of your brother’s soul in it. Honestly I think he picked a rock off the ground and made up a story about it.”

A huff of amusement slipped past Kuai’s lips before he could stop it. Leave it to Johnny to make fun of a six foot tall former demon of hell. Kuai took a thoughtful sip of tea, pondering how to bring this up with the Shirai Ryu Grandmaster when a little dragon butted her head up against his arm. Kuai wasn’t sure what breed she was, considering she appeared full grown, but was only the size of a house cat.  Her scales were a frosty blue in color, but shifted to a reddish-purple hue whenever she was in the sun. She was missing several scales on her snout and head from being caught in a cherry soda can several years ago. Strangely, they never grew back.

“No, you aren’t getting anything, Cherry.” Cherry let out a whine and rubbed her head against his forearm again with more vigor. Kuai shifted to scratch behind one of her horns. Cherry huffed and turned her head to bite at the offending hand that didn’t give her treats. Kuai cursed under his breath and shook Cherry off his hand. He heard Johnny laughing, but a pointed glared shut him up.

Kuai shook his right hand a little more, channeling some cryomancy into it to numb some of the pain.

“May I ask how you acquired this knowledge? I thought Master Hasashi wasn't that big of a fan of yours.”

“Hanzo asked Sonya to send someone. He wasn’t sure you would believe him if he told you.”

Hanzo was right, Kuai probably wouldn’t have believed the hellspawn if he had came to him with this matter.

“Very well, do you know where he is now?”

“I believe he is at Special Forces HQ hanging out with Takeda.”

 

\----

 

When he got to HQ, he found Hanzo in a heated debate with Takeda in Japanese. The subject of the discussion was unknown to Kuai. He waited a while, examining Hanzo’s expressions as he argued. It was always interesting watching Hanzo argue with someone other than Kuai. It was one of the only times he let his emotion completely control his usually expressionless face.

Kuai must have spaced out, because the next thing he knew, Hanzo was snapping his fingers in his face looking very amused.

“It is not wise to be oblivious in your position,” Hanzo stated.

Kuai grunted in response, “I heard you have something to tell me.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“Don’t change the subject, Master Hasashi.”

“I wasn’t the one who spaced out.”

Kuai always forgot how much of a headache the man could be until he tried to hold a conversation with the hellspawn. He was barely five seconds in and his left eye was already twitching. Kuai let out an aggravated sigh,

“Johnny told me that you knew where my brother was.”

Any remaining amusement left Hanzo’s face at that instant,

“I do not know for sure if it is your brother. Soul gems only react to someone who is related to the person trapped inside.” As Hanzo was explaining this, he pulled a small drawstring bag of what appeared to be dark blue velvet. “I have not touched the gem myself. I would not think it would be appropriate considering….” Hanzo suddenly couldn’t look Kuai in the face.

Kuai frowned at that, but took the bag from Hanzo. Inside the velvet bag was a crystal the size of his hand. It was pulsing a soft blue light. When Kuai took it out of the crystal, it started to glow. It felt… familiar.

Kuai smiled softly. For some reason holding the gem made him think of the nights his brother stayed up with him, either helping him with his homework or guiding him through a particularly bad nightmare. He missed his brother.

A cough brought Kuai’s attention back to Hanzo, who was shifting his weight from side to side. It was subtle enough that no one would notice unless they spent the majority of their life fighting him.

Kuai looked him straight in the eyes,

“Thank you.”

Hanzo smiled at him, his eyes filled with something Kuai could not recognize. They shared a moment of silence together. It wasn’t uncomfortable like the ones they have shared in the past were, but felt like they were two old friends enjoying each others company.

“I shall see what I can find about these gems in my spare time,” Kuai said after a while, “I shall keep you updated.” Kuai bowed politely, which Hanzo returned.

“Of course. I have a few ideas about where we shall proceed, but I wouldn't like to charge in head first without a plan. That hasn’t worked so well for me in the past.” Hanzo’s face was neutral but his eyes were filled with pain.

“Grandmaster Liang, the portal is ready.”

Kuai bowed again in Hanzo’s direction, a signal that their conversation was over, before turning to the soldier.

“Very well, I shall be there in a moment. Thank you.” The soldier nodded in return before turning to leave with Kuai in tow.


End file.
